Car-coupling.



J. F. & V. S. DURBIN.

OAR COUPLING. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25, 1908.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

M .r. H a v n 8 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- J. F. & V. S. DURBIN.

GAR COUPLING.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFTQE.

JAMES F. DURBIN AND VOTAW S. DURBIN, OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. let, 1909.

Application filed June 25, 1908. Serial No. 440,247.

and VorAw S. DURBIN, citizens of the United States, residing at FortScott, in the county of Bourbon and State of Kansas, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in car couplingmeans and it aims as a primary object to provide a car coupler in whichdanger of derailment due to loose lateral or vertical play will beobviated and in which novel means are provided for connecting thecoupling members with the ends of the draw bar for the purposes ofremoving or renewing parts.

The invention resides more particularly in novel structural detailsembodied in 00- operating pivoted knuckles which engage in interlockedrelation and in the means for holding said knuckles in such interlockedrelation.

The above and other objects will appear in the course of the followingdescription in which reference is had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, like characters of referencedesignating similar parts throughout the several views wherein:

Figure 1, is a detailed perspective view of cooperating coupling partsconstructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2, is alongitudinal sectional view of such coupling parts on the line 2--2 ofFig. 3. Fig. 8, is a horizontal sectional View of said parts 011 theline 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view showingthe end construction of one of the coupling parts, the other partcomplementary thereto being a counterpart in construction. Fig. 5 is adetailed perspective view showing in detached relation the endformations of a coupling part and the draw bar member c011- nected tosaid part. Fig. 6, is a detailed perspective view of a locking knuckleembodied as a component part of the invention. Fig. 7 is a detailedperspective view of one of the keys employed to join the coupling partand draw bar member. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of one of the couplingheads, showing the means for securing the locking pins.

The coupling parts are designated 1 and 2, and the draw bar members 3.The parts 1 and 2 are similarly constructed and complement one anotherin interfitting relation in which relation they are held locked by meansto be hereinafter described. Hence, it will be understood that adescription of one coupling part is equally as applicable to both. Eachcoupling part comprises a head portion a and a shank portion 5 whichlatter has at its end an enlargement 6, formed with grooves 7 in twoopposite faces. The

grooves 7 serve as seats to receive and hold the ends of bifurcations 8provided on each member 3, the bifurcations 8- bearing against shoulders9, forming the end walls of the grooves 7. Said bifurcations are in turnformed at their ends with outwardly extending shoulders 10 which areconfined between the said shoulders 9 and transverse locking keys l1,removably inserted through openings in the side walls of the grooves 7.One of the keys 11 is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 7. Said keyseach have an en larged stop head 12, one of the openings through whichthe keys are inserted being countersunk to receive the said stop head.The head portions a are formed with recesses 13, opening to the endsthereof. The locking of the parts 1 and 2 is effected primarily byknuckles 14, having angularly extending shanks 15 which work and areconfined in the recesses 13 by means of pivot pins 16 which pass throughsaid shanks 15 at a point adjacent the junction thereof with theknuckles 14. The latter have flat contacting faces and-curved faces andare of tapering form, so that their general shape may be described asthat of a half segment of a conical frustum. The head portions 4 areformed in their end faces with curved recesses 17 which extend at aright angle to the recesses 13 and which are shaped conformably to, andservens seats to receive, the knuckles 14, when the latter are engagedwith one another as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. In such relationsaid knuckles, by virtue of their general hook shape engage rearwardlyof one another, their flat faces contacting as above intimated.

The shanks 15 are formed at their ends with extended shoulders 18, withwhich cooperate vertical locking pins 19, which are slidable throughrecesses 20 and 21, con structed as extensions of the recesses 13, thepins 19 being fiat sided so as to be non-rotatable. The recesses 20 arecountersunk to receive stop lugs 22 formed on the ends of the pins 19,to limit the outward movement of the latter, the inward movement of saidpins being limited by cotter pins 23 which are engaged through the pins19 and which bear against the adjacent outer faces of the head portionst. hen the pins 19, have been moved inwardly and the knuckles 1 Lengaged in the manner above set forth, said pins bear against theshoulders 18 to prevent pivotal movement of the shanks and consequentlyto lock the knuckles in their engaged relation. The pins 19 are heldagainst displacement from their active positions by removable hooks 2acarried on the under faces of the head portions it and which are engagedthrough the lugs 22 and which appear in section in Fig. 2.

The knuckles 1% are provided in their curved faces wit-h recesses 25 toreceive links (not shown) which may be used as coupling elements inemergency cases, such as derailment, which links are held in saidrecesses by headed locking pins 26 movable axially of said knuckles.

In use, the pins 19 serve to effectually lock the knuckles 14 againstaxial displacement from their interlocked relation and verticaldisplacement is effectually prevented by the tapering contour of saidknuckles which upon undue vertical play of the parts in either directionhave a wedging action against the curved tapering faces of the recesses17.

The manner of connecting the coupling parts to the draw bar memberspermits of the ready renewal and replacement of broken or worn parts andalso of making other repairs which may be found necessary with but aslight expenditure of time and labor.

The manner of holding the pins 19 by the cotter pins 23 and the hooks 24assures of said pins 19 being held actively assembled under allconditions and consequently accidental disjointnlent of the coupledparts is impossible.

Having fully described our invention, we claim 1. In combination,opposing coupling parts each having a head portion formed with a recessextending to its end face and formed with a second tapered recess in itsend face, a locking knuckle in each head portion having a reduced shankpivoted and working in said first named recess, said placement. 7

2. In combination two similarly constructed complementary couplingparts,

each having a head portion formed with a recess extending to its endface and formed with a second recess in its end face, a locking knucklehaving a reduced shank pivoted and working in said first named recess,and means detachably engaging the shank to hold the same against pivotalmovement in the locked relation of the knuckles, said knuckles havingcurved tapering faces and engaging in said second named recesses, thelatter having their faces curved and tapering conformably to the facesof said knuckles seating therein.

3. A car coupling comprising in combination opposing members, eachcomprising a head, a locking knuckle pivoted to said head, said knucklehaving a rear vertical straight face and a front tapered face, and meansto lock the knuckles of said opposing heads with their straight faces inengagement.

at. A car coupling, comprising in combination, opposing members, eachcomprising a head, a tapered knuckle pivoted to said head, means forengaging the knuckles of said opposing members, and means for lockingsaid knuckles in engagement.

A car coupling comprising in combination, opposing members, eachcomprising a head, a tapered knuckle pivoted to said head, each of saidknuckles having a face adapted to engage the face of the opposingknuckle, and each of said heads having a conformation adapting it tocooperate with said tapered knuckle to prevent vertical movement of saidknuckles, and means for locking said knuckles in engagement.

In testnnony whereof we afhx our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES F. DURBIN. VOTAVJ S. DURBIN.

Witnesses KATIE HUNKER, Ross Krrzarnmnn.

